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Brendan Joyce’s leadership of Camerata was recently described by The Australian as dynamic and in Limelight as indefatigable. He frequently appears as soloist with the group, has led for milestones including its first recordings, tours, broadcasts, collaborations, and in acclaimed performances at the Tyalgum Festival, Darwin Festival, Queensland Music Festival and the Australian Festival of Chamber Music. Brendan is an alumnus of the original version of Camerata that played to critical acclaim 1987-1997. In demand as a leader and concertmaster, Brendan performs regularly as leader of the Orchestra of the Antipodes in Sydney, and for many years appeared as a guest Concertmaster and member of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra. With the latter he performed the premiere on period instruments of Max Richter’s Vivaldi Four Seasons Recomposed.  During his youth orchestra days he led the Queensland Youth Symphony and Australian Youth Orchestras.  Brendan has played with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, America’s Smithsonian Chamber Orchestra, and has played the complete cycle of Bartok’s iconic String Quartets as a member of the Kurilpa String Quartet. Brendan attained a Doctor of Musical Arts in Violin Performance from The University of Maryland, USA, receiving awards there for his leadership of the Maryland Handel Festival Opera Orchestra, as well as for presentations and premieres of the music of twenty Australian composers. His early teachers included Joyce Crooks, Lyn Darveniza and Stephen Frewen-Lord in Ayr, Queensland, where he was born and raised. He undertook extensive studies and mentoring with Elizabeth Morgan AM in Brisbane. Brendan also studied in the United States with Gerald Fischbach, and in chamber music with David Salness and the Guarneri String Quartet.

Jason has been playing the violin for over twenty years and also enjoys playing the piano and Otamatone usually with mixed results (find a video of someone playing Otamatone, you won’t regret it!). When Jason is asked the popular tricky question, who’s your favourite composer?, he answers with, Most of the ones with whose last names start with 'B'. In his spare time he enjoys bicycle riding, swimming, picnics, hanging around with friends, and trying all kinds of food from other cultures.

Jonny used to be all about drugs and rock & roll: a pharmacist and a musician. Two years ago, Jonny hung up his lab coat to focus entirely on his passion: music and music education. He is a violinist, violist, and pianist; enjoys teaching all three instruments as well as instrumental and choral accompanying, composing, arranging, and conducting. Jonny is Principal Second Violin and Education Manager for Camerata, pianist in Ensemble Entourage for Musica Viva In Schools, upper strings and piano teacher at St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School, and regularly tutors for the Queensland Youth Orchestra. From a young age, Jonny has had the privilege of touring all around Australia and the world doing what he loves: playing music. During that elusive down time, Jonny enjoys spending it with his loved ones, cooking, reading, and catching up on sleep.

Anne Horton’s Chair is currently available for support. Contact Camerata’s Marketing & Development Manager Jacquiline Fraser to discuss further. Anne Horton is an Artistic Associate at Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra and core member of Ensemble Q and Ensemble Trivium. Anne established her career as a member of the Australian String Quartet (formerly the Tankstream Quartet which won several prestigious awards including First prize in the Cremona and Osaka International String Quartet Competitions). She has released albums for ABC Classic FM including works by Debussy, Ravel and Schubert. Anne is a Teacher of Violin at Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University. Born in Perth, Anne holds a Master of Music Performance from The Australian Institute of Music in Sydney under the tutelage of Alice Waten and studied an Artist’s Diploma with the Alban Berg Quartet at the Cologne Hochscule for Musik. Anne has performed nationally and internationally throughout Europe and Asia, where she has enjoyed successful artistic collaborations with many highly acclaimed performers.

Allana is a violinist of Camerata and completed her Master of Music Studies at RNCM, Manchester, having been awarded an International Experience Incentive Scheme Grant by the Queensland Conservatorium, where she completed her prior studies with Elizabeth Morgan AM. Allana holds an LMUSA and ATCL Recital and has appeared as a soloist with the Conservatorium Symphony Orchestras performing Bartok, Tchaikovsky and Bruch violin concertos. Allana was a member of the Australian Youth Orchestra for their 2010 appearance under Sir Mark Elder at the BBC London Proms and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. Allana regularly performs with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and in 2009 completed her training with Meredith Page to become teacher of the Alexander Technique. Allana is a violinist born and raised in Cairns. Allana feels immensely privileged that she is the product of what she believes is the best musical education system in Australia. She studied at the Conservatorium of Music in Brisbane with Camerata's founder, Elizabeth Morgan AM, and has found fantastic opportunities to perform and do what she loves. Allana says she has lovely colleagues and a challenging, rewarding workplace at Camerata.

Alice made her first musical sounds on the violin when she was 7, but discovered her true voice on the viola at 15. From then on there was no going back; music was the only thing for her. Alice is equally passionate about string pedagogy and performance, and is very thankful that she has the opportunity to do both. She loves to travel and experience the sights and sounds of the world. Alice is very happily married to theatre sound designer and composer Dane Alexander, and enjoys attending plays and contemporary theatre just as much as concerts. If she has a spare 15 minutes you’ll find her in a comfy chair with a good book and a nice cup of tea. In addition to her life in music, Alice also coordinates a support network for refugee families on the south side of Brisbane.

Clare Cooney’s Chair is currently available for support. Contact Camerata’s Marketing & Development Manager Jacquiline Fraser to discuss further. Clare is an Artistic Associate with Camerata Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra and Co-Artistic director of Ensemble Cherubim. She is an active freelancer in Brisbane playing regularly with Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Topology and Australian Session Orchestra.   She attained her Bachelor of Music with Distinction from Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University and her Graduate Diploma at the University of Queensland studying under Michele Walsh and Adam Chalabi. Whilst at University she was the recipient of numerous prizes and undertook internships with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Camerata Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra and Southern Cross Soloists.  Motivated by her deep love of chamber music, Clare has performed at numerous Chamber music festivals in the US and Australia including the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, Bangalow Festival and Stradbroke Chamber Music Festival. She has also played in masterclasses for the Borodin String Quartet, Takacs Quartet and the Australian String Quartet. During her years as a member of the Australian Youth Orchestra she travelled to Europe and China performing in such venues as the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, which she considers to be one of her most fulfilling musical experiences to date. Clare is the current co-concertmaster of the Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra. 

Elizabeth completed a Bachelor of Performance and Pedagogy on Violin at the Queensland Conservatorium of music, studying with Elizabeth Morgan AM. After prompting, she picked up a viola and after discovering the deeper sounds, has never looked back. Elizabeth describes her most notable performance being When times Stops with EDC. Performing on stage from memory with the story and physicality of the dancers moving around was enormously challenging and rewarding. Elizabeth enjoys making music with friends in many smaller chamber groups. She has a passion for sharing music in rural areas. Her favourite thing about Camerata is touring to regional QLD and taking music to those who can’t easily access live music. I love seeing the faces of school kids hearing an orchestra’s sound for the first time.

Katherine Philp’s Chair is currently available for support. Contact Camerata’s Marketing & Development Manager Jacquiline Fraser to discuss further. Katherine was born into a very musical family in the town of Murwillumbah in Northern NSW. After beginning cello studies at age 14 she moved to Brisbane to complete a Bachelor of Music, studying with Markus and Mei-Lee Stocker. Since then, she has developed an interesting and fulfilling freelance career playing variously in Camerata, the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Kurilpa String Quartet, Musica Viva In Schools, playing as a soloist, playing as a guest in various bands, recording sessions, summer veranda jam sessions, appearing at folk and classical festivals around Australia, and most recently has been perfecting the art of playing Baa, Baa, Black Sheep on the guitar, accompanied by her two-year-old daughter on the descant recorder.

Gregory McNamara regularly performs and teaches in Brisbane and across Queensland. He has a Bachelor of Music in advanced performance with the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, and studied for three years in the Professional Performance Program at the Australian National Academy of Music in Melbourne. Gregory is a regular guest in the Queensland Symphony Orchestra’s viola section and has played in the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra also. Gregory also performs occasionally with the band Topology, and has been a part of their main shows, their education touring programs and their regional performance touring. On occasion, Gregory also contributes to the sounds of Ensemble Cherubim in their larger performances and chamber concerts.

Tiana Angus’s Chair is currently available for support. Contact Camerata’s Marketing & Development Manager Jacquiline Fraser to discuss further. Playing the violin is one of Tiana’s favourite things to do. She knew from an early age that she wanted to become a professional violinist and is so grateful that this dream came true as she absolutely loves playing music all day long. Tiana began learning at the age of 12 from her teacher and mentor, Elizabeth Morgan AM who significantly influenced her violin playing and continues to be at the core of her inspiration and passion for musical performance. In 2009, Tiana graduated from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music with a Masters of Music majoring in Violin Performance and String Pedagogy. Tiana says, I absolutely love playing in Camerata especially because of the other wonderful players; they are not only my colleagues but are also my Camerata family. I also love the new and interesting pieces I have been able to perform through being a member of this ensemble.  

After completing his musical studies in Marseille and Paris, France, Nathan has enjoyed a diverse musical career. Nathan has worked in conjunction with a number of leading composers in Europe for the commissioning of new pieces, as well as working with early music ensembles specialising in the music of the Baroque era.

Shannon has been a long-time member of Camerata. She also performs with other music ensembles and orchestras such as the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Shannon studied overseas in Switzerland for three years and had the wonderful opportunity to perform in the Luzern Symphony Orchestra. She likes a diverse range of music and has played with ballet and musical companies, likes contemporary classical music, and in the car she listens to Triple J. Shannon also thoroughly enjoys teaching and is currently the Director of Instrumental Music at St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School.

Marian Heckenberg’s Chair is currently available for support. Contact Camerata’s Marketing & Development Manager Jacquiline Fraser to discuss further. Marian was trained at University of Queensland and University of Southern California. During her studies she was awarded First class honours and was the recipient of the Rotary Foundation International Scholarship. Marian’s performance highlights include Wagner’s Ring Cycle Adelaide 2004; touring Asia with Chicago the Musical; touring Australia with Westside Story; touring Argentina with Tasmanian Symphony; performing Expressions Dance Company’s When time Stops with Camerata; and most recently performing with Edgar Meyer! Marian has also appeared with Melbourne, Western Australian, Adelaide, Tasmanian and Queensland Symphony Orchestras. In 2019, Marian founded “The Big Brisbane Bass Day”, an educational event where double bassists of any age or experience can benefit from masterclasses and chamber music experiences. At Camerata, Marian values how each individual player takes responsibility and pride in their work, and adores the string repertoire and management team.

Sally-Ann Djachenko’s Chair is currently available for support. Contact Camerata’s Marketing & Development Manager Jacquiline Fraser to discuss further. Sally-Ann is a Scottish violinist who grew up in Glasgow. She studied (very hard!) at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Royal Academy of Music and Queensland Conservatorium of Music. Her first job was with the Bingham Quartet (London) but she also enjoyed a freelance career playing with many fine UK orchestras, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra plus some onstage performances at the National Theatre (alongside Fiona Shaw, who played Petunia Dursley in the Harry Potter films). Her best gig ever was making icicle noises for a BBC documentary about Antarctica for which she was paid rather generously for the minimal effort involved! Her most dangerous gig ever was when the Mikado fell into the pit breaking her bow in half in a performance in Geneva. In her time off Sally-Ann enjoys spending time with her children, baking, reading, and international travel. She loves playing in Camerata and thinks the choice of music is really original and exciting (and hopes you do too).

Rory Smith’s Chair is currently available for support. Contact Camerata’s Marketing & Development Manager Jacquiline Fraser to discuss further. In 2023, Rory joined Camerata - Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra as an Artistic Associate. He is Co-Artistic Director of the Brisbane based chamber group: Ensemble Cherubim and regularly performs with Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Hailing from the Sunshine Coast, Rory picked to learn the cello in Grade 5 because his brother said “it sounded cool”. Less than 10 years later he decided to pursue a career in music, completing a Bachelor of Music (First Class Honours) in 2019 under the tutelage of Patrick Murphy and later from Hyung Suk-Bae. Whilst at university, Rory took part in internships with Southern Cross Soloist’s and Camerata - Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra and received Masterclasses from the Australian String Quartet, Tinalley String Quartet and Howard Penny. Rory was invited to participate in the Virtuoso e Belcanto festival in Lucca, Italy and enjoyed learning from esteemed Pedagogues such as Peter Bruns, Istvan Vardai and Xenia Jankovic. Rory enjoys travelling and is always planning his next overseas trip (but mostly dreams about being back under the Tuscan sun with a glass of wine.)

Alison Smith O’Connell’s Chair is currently available for support. Contact Camerata’s Marketing & Development Manager Jacquiline Fraser to discuss further. Alison Smith O’Connell is a cellist, permaculture enthusiast and mother of 3 daughters.   Alison studied cello in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Germany, before moving to Kuala Lumpur to become a member of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. 8 years (and 2 babies) later, Alison returned to Brisbane, where she now performs regularly with Camerata, becoming an Artistic Associate in 2023.   In 2022, Alison completed the full Educators Program at the Permaculture Education Institute. Now she and her brother write silly songs together about backyard farming, bringing permaculture education to children through music. When not playing cello, or writing songs about butterflies and vegetables, Alison enjoys hanging out with her family and transforming her suburban backyard into an edible oasis.